LAS VEGAS, NV — Maryland got its Geico Players Era Championship run started with a 74-67 win over UNLV late on Monday night.

The Terps' (5-1) offense surged in the second half after trailing by three at the break and Maryland used six threes in the second half to defeat UNLV (3-3) in the Rebels' home city. 

📈📈📈 https://t.co/Z5Bvt1wJxV pic.twitter.com/DbyXzyQGMp

— Maryland Men's Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) November 25, 2025

Pharrel Payne returned to the lineup and scored 20 points to surpass the 1,000-career point mark just five games into his senior season. He's scored in double figures in every game he's played in for Maryland this season and tallied 20 or more points three times in 2025.

Congrats to @pharrelpayne on reaching 1,000 career points‼️ 🐢 pic.twitter.com/usfGj5r48p

— Maryland Men's Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) November 25, 2025

Darius Adams recorded his fourth straight game with double-digit scoring with his 15-point, four-rebound performance. Aleks Alston also played a big role with a career-high six points and a career-high six rebounds off the bench. 

David Coit and Andre Mills came alive in the second half with 11 and nine respective points. Maryland dominated the rebound battle 46-34 and held UNLV scoreless for over four minutes late in the night to snag its fifth win of the young season. 

All net from Myles before halftime 😎 pic.twitter.com/xsCmeR5SIx

— Maryland Men's Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) November 25, 2025

The game stretched well into the morning on the East Coast, and Maryland is back in action in less than 24 hours as the Terps are set to take on No. 12 Gonzaga at 9:30 EST on Tuesday night. 

How It Happened:
1st Half:

• Mills hit a jumper for Maryland's first points of the night. 
• Adams got on the board early with a layup in the opening minutes. 
• Isaiah Watts and  Coit drained early threes to get on the board. 
• A Payne layup gave the Terps a 16-12 lead midway through the half. 
• The Rebels used a 7-0 run to reclaim the lead. 
• Payne put Maryland back ahead with a vicious dunk with seven minutes to play.
• A Saunders hookshot stemmed a 9-0 UNLV run late in the half.
• Alston's third field goal of the half made it a four-point game with a minute to play.
• Myles Rice drained a three in the closing seconds, but the Terps trailed 30-27 at the break.

2nd Half:

• Payne rolled in a layup for the first points of the half.
• Payne tallied his 1,000th-career point early in the half. 
• Adams drained a three as Maryland cut into the deficit. 
• Another three from Adams made it a two point game with 14 minutes to play.
• Rice hit a three to make it a one-point game with 11 minutes remaining. 
• Mills put the Terps back on top with a three on a 10-2 Maryland run. 
• Maryland pulled ahead 61-53, holding UNLV scoreless for over four minutes.
• Coit put the Terps up 65-58 with a late three.
• The Terps held on for a 74-67 win.

Maryland's Milestone Monday:

• Payne scored his 1,000th-career point in the first half of the game.
• Payne reached the mark in his 101st-career game and the 42nd start of his collegiate career.
• Elijah Saunders reached 600-career points in his 88th-career game.
• Coit played in his 98th-career game and made his 62nd-career start as he continues to hunt 1,500-career points, which he's on track to reach this season (entered Monday with 1,316).

Double-Digit Dominance:

• Adams (15 points) recorded his fifth-career double-digit performance and reached double figures for a fourth straight game. 
• Coit (11 points) recorded his third straight 10+ point night, the fifth of his season and the 61st of his career. 
• Payne (20 points) has recorded double-digit scoring in all five games he's played in this season and 48 times in his career. He tallied his third 20+ point game of the season and the ninth of his career on Monday.

History Of The Matchup:

• Monday's clash was the sixth all-time meeting between the Terps and the Rebels, with UNLV winning each of the previous four contests.
• The two teams met for the first time since 1986 and Maryland's win against UNLV was in 1978.
• The largest win in series history belongs to Maryland with a 13-point victory in the 1978 meeting. 
• Monday's neutral site game was the third of its kind, with UNLV winning the previous two.

Numbers to Know:

• 2: Maryland picked up its second-ever win over the Rebels. 
• 4: The Terps won their fourth straight game. 
• 6: Aleks Alston scored a career-high six points on 3/3 shooting. 
• 8: Both Mills and Payne collected eight rebounds to lead the Terps.
• 9: The Terps hit nine threes, with six coming in the second half. 
• 11: Monday's contest featured 11 lead changes. 
• 1,000: Payne scored his 1,000th-career point in the win.

Up Next:

• The Terps are back in action in the Geico Players Era Championship against No. 12 Gonzaga (6-0) on Nov. 25. Tipoff is set for 9:30 PM EST (6:30 PM PST) and will air on TruTV.